Tehran demands U.N. action as tensions increase between two countries

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TEHRAN — Iran on Wednesday called for U.N. Security Council action against Israel, seizing on remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert widely interpreted as an admission that the country has nuclear weapons.

“This confession reveals a real threat to security and stability in the Middle East and shows the evil aims and plots of this regime,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini.

Quoted by the official IRNA news agency, Hosseini called for “effective and rapid measures in the Security Council and the Organization of Islamic Conference and other regional organizations to combat these explicit threats.”

In a German television interview broadcast on Monday, Olmert said: “Iran, openly, explicitly and publicly threatens to wipe Israel off the map. Can you say that this is the same level, when they are aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as America, France, Israel, Russia?”

Olmert aides said the remarks did not constitute an admission that Israel had atomic weapons.

Leading opposition lawmakers in Israel have accused Olmert of undermining Israel’s campaign to curb the atomic ambitions of Iran with his remarks.

Independent analysts believe Israel has built up to 200 nuclear warheads since the late 1960s. Israel refuses to discuss the matter, under an “ambiguity” policy aimed both at deterring regional foes and avoiding an arms race.